3AC mileage - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

tsn73 · 01-13-2004, 11:23 PM

Hey all,

I've got an 87 Tercel 4WD DLX Wagon with the 3AC engine. I thought this car would get awesome mileage but the best I've got is 26 MPG and that's on the highway.

What sort of mileage should this car be getting?

Any and all response is appreciated.

Thanks.

cubevandude · 01-02-2005, 01:10 PM

We have two 1986 4WD stick shift wagons and a 1986 2wd automatic hatchback. The wagons get 40-43 mpg. The hatchback only gets 32mpg. I've done a lot of work on these cars. I understand the earlier models 83-84 are geared different and get better mileage. I had a 87 model once and it didn't get the best fuel mileage either. Probably something to do with all the extra emissions crap. Have you done a tuneup and checked the ignition timing? Maybe your catylatic convertor is plugged. The one wagon we had had a plugged convertor and it finally snapped the exhaust off before the convertor. I just ran a piece of exhaust tube right through the convertor so it still looks functional. After a year of driving after that fix the car runs great! It finally idles out nice, starts up and idles properly in cold weather and gets great mileage again. It was carboned up bad. Ran lots of coop ethanol fuel through it as well as high octane every now and then.

Good luck, Troy